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Pundit says Arsenal player must improve despite 5-0 win over Crystal Palace
Craig Burley believes that Bukayo Saka needs to improve for Arsenal, insisting that he appears to have lost of his sharpness this season.
You would be forgiven for thinking that Arsenal had emphatically silenced all of their critics if you only looked at the scoreline on Satur✤day. Mikel Arteta’s side beat Crystal Palace 5-0 at the Emirates.
They were, by far, the better side. However, ♊it was perhaps not the kind of win to get too carried away about. Of course, Arsenal went into the game off the back of one win in their previous seven games in a🌟ll competitions.
Bukayo Saka needs to improve for Arsenal
And it was two set𓄧-pieces which set them on their way. The icing was put on the cake in stoppage-time, with Gabriel Martinell🤡i scoring twice after the 90th minute.
Surprisingly, Bukayo Saka did not score or provide an assist. It was his corner which led to Arsenal’s second goal. However, the goal was given to Palace♓ goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Saka was actual🦋ly the one attacker Arteta left out there for 90 minutes. So his form may be a concern for Arteta. And speaking to , Craig Burley insisted that he does need to step up as he has the quality to be a difference-maker in the title race.
“I think he can be, but he certainly hasn’t been this seasoꦓn, not particularly🉐 as it’s gone on towards the second-half,” he said.
“He’s lost a little bit of an edge to his game, a little bit of sharpness. There’s been some complaints about ♛the type of scrutiny he’s ♍been getting from defenders. And he does take a few knocks, but he’s a big, strong boy.
“I think he’ll have to [improve], because I mentioned Trossard, he chips in, Martinelli will chip in. And we know out of Nkeওtiah and Jesus, they’re good players, particularly Jesus, but they’re not penalty box strikers. They’re not going to get you 25, 30 goals a season, and certainly not in the second-half, likely to get you 10 or 15 goals. So you’re going to have to get this from elsewhe๊re.”
Mikel Arteta made strange decision with Gunners star
Certainly, Theo W♍alcott was surprised that ꧒Saka was not substituted off. And his form does strengthen the arguꦗme𓃲nt that he does need a rest.
Saka has scored one goal in his las💯t eight. And that goal was certainly not the best of his career, with the 22-year-old knowing little about the opener at♊ Fulham last month.
It would be a big call f🍌or Arteta to rest Saka, particularly in what felt like a must-win game. However, getting him to play the full 90 minutes seemed to be a strange call.
And if he doe🐈s not improve, Arteta will have to give serious thought to the idea of resting Saka at some stage.
